Design Specification: Support NoSQL Databases

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Project overview

There are several "NoSQL" databases that are non-relational.
These databases include:

Oracle NoSQL

MongoDB

Hadoop

Google BigTable

Cassandra

These databases offer alternative APIs to JDBC and either do not support querying, or support alternative query languages to SQL.

You could also include legacy hierarchical and non-relational databases, object databases and XML databases in the "NoSQL" category.

It is desirable for EclipseLink to support persistence and specifically JPA access to NoSQL databases.

EclipseLink currently provides persistence support for relational databases through JDBC, and non-relational datasources through JCA.
This support requires a JDBC or JCA resource adapter/driver for the database.
Most NoSQL databases do not provide a standard driver, although some may, and some do provide JDBC drivers.
There are also third parties that provide JDBC and JCA driver to a wide range of datasources, including some NoSQL databases.